Collar-button retainer.



H. HOFLANDER.

COLLAR BUTTON RETAINER.

APPLICATION rum) JULY a1, 1909.

Patented May 28, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co..wA5HlNuToN n c HENRY I-IOFLANDER, 0F SPEED, M ISSGURI.

COLLAR-BUTTON RETAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed July 31, 1909. Serial .No. 510,533.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HOFLANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Speed, in the county of Cooper and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collar-Button Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for retaining collar and sleeve buttons in position upon the portions of a garment fastened together thereby, and also for preventing displacement of such portions of the garment.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which may be readily applied to the button and thrown into and out of retaining position.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross section through the shank of a collar button, showing the retainer in front elevation and with its looking member projected. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with the locking member retracted. Fig. 3 is a side view with the parts disposed as in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the button with the parts of the retainer disposed as in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the base, 2 the shank and 3 the head of a collar or similar button of ordinary construction.

The retainer comprises a clip 4 formed of a strip of spring metal adapted to extend across the outer face of the base 1 and provided at its ends with hooks 5 to engage over the front face of said base and grip the same by spring action to hold said clip firmly in position thereon.

A locking member comprising a spring wire bail is pivotally connected with the clip for movement from a looking to a releasing position, and vice versa. Said looking member is formed from a single piece of spring wire having its central or body portion 6 pivotally mounted in the space between the edge of the base 1 and the bight of one of the hooks 5, and from the ends of said body portion extend spring looking or retaining arms 7 projecting outwardly in converging relation and having their free ends backturned to form guards 8 to prevent injury to the garments or person of the wearer, as well as to provide finger pieces by which the locking member may be manipulated.

Shoulders or ofisets 9 are formed between the body portion 6 and adjacent ends of the arms 7 to prevent lateral sliding movement of the locking device in the hook in which it is pivotally mounted, by which said device is thus permitted to have pivotal motion alone in a determined plane. The locking device is thus disposed for an inward pivotal movement of the arms on a line downwardly between the base 1 and head 3, so that the free ends of the arms will engage and bear with spring pressure on opposite sides of the shank 2, or so that said locking device may be swung upwardly to a horizontal or a vertical releasing position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The shoulders or oli'sets 8 are also arranged to serve as supports to engage the rim edge of the button base to prevent the locking device from turning down beyond a position in line with said base.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that with the locking device in released position, the head of the button is passed through the holes in the parts of the garment or garments to be fastened thereby, and then the locking device .is swung to projected position, thus clamping the garment or garments against the base 1 and preventing possibility of their displacement from the button, whereby the working loose of the button or any of the parts engaged will be effectually prevented. In this action the arms 7 are spread by engagement with the shank 2 and are held from movement by a spring frictional engagement therewith, thus preventing possibility of casual retraction of the locking device under any ordinary conditions of use.

When it is desired to remove the button or release any of the portions of the garment or garments confined thereby, it is simply necessary to retract the locking device in the manner described, whereupon the parts will be freed for disconnection.

I claim The combination with a collar button, of a retainer comprising a metallic strip extending diametrically across the back of the l button base, said strip being provided With hooked terminals engaging the rim edge and face of the button base on opposite sides of the shank thereof, one of said hooked ends having its bight portion offset from said rim edge of the button base to form a embodying a cross piece pivot-ally mounted keeper, and a bail-shaped locking device Within said keeper and having converging spring arms adapted to bear at their free ends against opposite sides of the button shank, said free ends of the arms being bent back upon themselves to provide reinforced bearing portions and finger pieces, and said cross piece and arms being connected by angularly bent portions or ofisets engaging the opposite sides of the keeper to prevent sliding motion of the cross piece therein, said angularlybent ends further serving as supports to engage the rim edge of the button base to prevent the locking device from turning down beyond a position in line With said base.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY HOFLANDER.

\Vitnesses J. LEO MEISTRELL, C AS. W. WVHITTOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

